Cervical Sympathetic Nerve. I. Experimental Observations on Animals with Results. A. Oculo-pupillary Branches.—The experimental investigation of the functions of the Cervical Sympathetic Nerve begins, as is well known, with Pour-four du Petit, who, in the year 1727, showed that it exercises considerable control over the movements of the pupil.

Part I.—On Wordless Thought.—The object of this essay is to enquire how far thought can go on without language, and what is the nature of its association with words, or other symbolic means of expressing or communicating ideas ?

The question how far disease of the surface of the brain may reveal itself by symptoms which point to the exact position of the morbid process, is one of considerable interest, not only in a physiological point of view, in relation to the functions of the convolutions, or from a diagnostic standpoint, as indicating the seat of the diseased action, but also in a therapeutic aspect, in showing where local treatment may probably be most beneficially carried out. In order, however, to be able to decide whether certain symptoms indicate disease in an organ, it is clearly of great consequence that we should know what are the functions of that organ in health. Regarded in this light recent experimental researches into the nature of the cerebral functions, and especially those located in the hemispherical ganglia, are of no small value to the physician. True, very many of the results obtained by such observers as Hitzig and Ferrier, are still problematical; but though this be granted in reference to their more detailed observations, there are certain of their broad general conclusions—those, particularly, that have been corroborated by pathology—which may now be considered as well nigh established on a firm basis of fact; and I make this remark, notwithstanding the vigorous and hostile criticism of Dr. Brown-Séquard. Amongst these conclusions the one with which we are here most concerned, is, that the convolutions bounding the fissure of Rolando are charged with motor function, especially in the upper and lower extremities.

To take one other example as illustrating a somewhat different aspect of this question. An experienced physician arrives in a moment at the diagnosis of a case presented to his notice, but a well read and well informed student may ponder long before attaining a correct conclusion under exactly similar circumstances. In what does the difference between the mental processes in the two individuals consist? It will be said to be a matter of experience merely; but what does this statement imply? In the process of arriving at a diagnosis of the case many facts will have to be observed, many points criticised, and many arguments weighed and valued. Now in the case of the senior observer all these facts, these points, these arguments will perhaps have been passed through the mind some hundreds of times before, in reviewing similar cases; the various steps whereby his final opinion is attained will, by frequent exercise and repetition, have become separately organised in the brain, and, however rapidly his conclusion may have been arrived at, the various steps will have been undertaken. But inasmuch as their influence is exercised automatically, he remains unconscious of their agency, until he stops to analyse the various reasons that have—to a very great extent unconsciously—laid the foundations of his diagnosis and the various details on which his opinion has been founded. The process may involve no more consciousness than is displayed in the movements of the envelope folder; one is aware that the envelope is folded, and the other that he has arrived at a definite opinion; but neither may be awake to the separate steps of the process until they deliberately investigate the details of the preceding movements. In the case of the immature observer, frequent repetition has not as yet made certain processes necessary to the diagnosis of the case familiar to his mind, and in consequence they have attained no sound structural position in his nerve centres; so, like the novice in the mystery of envelope folding, he has to consider each step, and proceed with deliberation, and under the acute guardianship of consciousness.

In the following brief contribution it is proposed to bring under notice a class of cases of mental disorder in which digitalis has been administered in this asylum with marked apparent benefit, and to deduce from them a few indications for its successful employment. This is not inclusive of instances of insanity complicated with, or dependent on, heart or other physical disease, in which ordinary medical experience has shown digitalis to be of great service as a therapeutic agent.

In the absence of all medical testimony, opinion respecting the man's mental condition during the period in question must be based upon the ordinary evidence brought forward at the inquest. And it so happens that, notwithstanding the remarkable finding of the jury, the conclusion at which most people would arrive, after perusing the evidence and the in coherent statement found in the handwriting of the deceased, insonsi-mprpolfeesseionnoaulgh, opiannidon.quitTehuws, iththine “the DeailsycoTpeeleogfrapohrd,” inaryin reference to the case, relates the circumstances and the evi dence, and then says : “After all this, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the assailant of Mr. Hamburger was not altogether responsible for his actions. We may even go further, and say, although the jury were of the opinion tmhiantd, thethreat wtahse nodeceevaisdeedncewatos sdheocwidedwlyhat inwsaanse” his wshtaetne hoef attempted to murder Mr. Hamburger. It is sufficient for my present purpose to affirm the correctness of the opinion here qiioted from a lay paper, without entering into such details of the evidence as might be taken either for or against that opinion.

Our readers are already fully acquainted with the evidence given before this Committee (See Jan. No., 1878, Vol. xxiii., p. 457). Its report has now been issued, and as it is very short, we reprint it in extenso. Its purport is mild, and, on the whole, those engaged in the administration of the Lunacy Laws of the kingdom, the physicians to asylums, and the British public have reason to be satisfied. The recommendations of the Committee closely coincide with the points on which, in the article referred to (p. 520), we stated there had been a fairly good case made out for alterations in the law. of the 22 recommendations made by this Committee, 17 were advocated by us. In our opinion the chief omission in the report is a recommendation that the whole mode of administering the property of the insane in England should be reformed. We showed most conclusively, from the evidence of those persons best acquainted with its working, that the English law is, in this respect, cumbrous, inefficient, and unjust. The deficiencies of the Irish and Scotch Lunacy Laws, and their administration, pointed out by us, are ignored by the Committee. The subject of Criminal Lunacy, and the clear call that has been made out for a revision of the existing statutes in regard to it, has also been left unnoticed.

We make the following extracts from a pamphlet published by the late Sir James Coxe just before his death, called “Lunacy in its Relations to the State,” which is chiefly a digest of the evidence given before the Dillwyn Committee, going over much the same ground as our article on Lunacy Law in the No. of this Journal for Jan., 1878, the author stating his views in regard to many important points connected with insanity.

It is now almost thirty years since Dr. Burq first observed the favourable effect produced by the external application of different metals on patients suffering from various forms of anæsthesia. Burq remarked that the same effect was not produced by the same metal in all cases, but that the therapeutic success was due in one case to gold and in another to iron. This fact led him to assume that, in cases where one metal proved beneficial when applied to the skin, still better results might be obtained by giving this patient a preparation of the metal that suited him for internal use, and thus promoting a constitutional action. But even his first assertions met with a cold reception, and his later assertions of the success obtained by internal use of the metals received quite emphatic denial from the profession, so that the whole question fell into discredit. Nothing daunted by this, and fully convinced of the accuracy of his observations, Burq applied to the Société de Biologie in Paris, to appoint a committee to test his assertions impartially, and report on the results of their investigations. A committee, consisting of MM. Charcot, Luys and Dumontpallier, was appointed, and on the 14th of April, 1877, M. Dumontpallier, as speaker, delivered the following report:—

Dr. Campbell, of the Carlisle Asylum, in the “British Medical Journal” of February 23, makes some very sensible and important remarks in regard to persistent refusal of food in hysterical girls and others. After reviewing the cases of the “Market Harborough Case” and “the Welsh Fasting Girl,” he thus comments on them and their treatment, as it was, and as it ought to have been:—

The following are extracts from the last Report of the Fife and Kinross Asylum by Dr. Fraser, who has since been appointed Deputy Commissioner in Lunacy for Scotland:—